Urgent – .Maliki reconsiders replacing Zibari by Shahristani as FM

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Premier Nouri al-Maliki reconsidered his decision over commissioning his Deputy, Hussein al-Shahristani to run the Foreign Ministry as Acting minister instead of the Kurdish minister, Hoshyar Zibari due to the Kurdish ministers’ boycott for the Cabinet’s sessions.

Reliable source told IraqiNews.com “The decision came after Maliki granted obligatory vacation to Zibari and the rest of the Kurdish ministers,” noting “The Premier faces strong pressures by the Kurds to abandon his decision especially in light of sharp disputes with Shhristani who rejects the oil contracts concluded by Kurdistan Region with foreign oil companies.”

Press sources have revealed on Tuesday issuing a decision by the Iraqi Council of Ministers includes commissioning a number of ministers to assume offices of the Kurdish ministers who were given vacations after they boycotted the meetings of the Cabinet.